Balance your work/life balance
... but does that balance even exist? Today, we prefer to talk only about the life balance where you integrate all your life domains (and work is undoubtedly one of them) in a balanced way and which changes situationally. Sometimes professional obligations will take precedence, e.g. when you still have that one project to deliver, on other days your family takes absolute priority. In the modern workplace, it appears less and less possible to neatly separate home and work. So allow yourself to ‘oscillate’ between work and home throughout the day: why not connect with your family between 2 meetings or spend 15 minutes reading your e-mails when the kids have gone to bed.
Sitting is the new smoking, right?
We find that we are once again sitting at our PCs, including while reading this blog, with the excuse that we are too busy to take a break. It sometimes sounds counterproductive, but taking a moment to move - and we're talking short bursts of exercise here (and not necessarily a time-consuming workout) - just makes you much more productive because it stimulates your blood circulation and lowers muscle tension. During the day, think about ...
- 10 to 30 seconds of arm or leg stretching
- Small movements while sitting, e.g. rolling your shoulders or making small circles with your arms
- Large movements such as walking around during a phone call
- And general advice: never go longer than 45' without moving
Go for that healthy snack
We at Stanwick are quite in favour of filling your personal energy tank in a conscious and thoughtful way. In other words, eat healthy, eat regularly and eat for what's coming. Eat 3 times a day in a balanced manner and fill the intervals with healthy snacks (fruit, nuts, yoghurt, healthy bars).
So time to stock your desk drawer (or your car) with good and tasty energy sources.
Healthy stress is short stress
When we exercise physically, we put our bodies under stress in a smart way: we perform better, become faster and/or stronger. Similarly, stress can work in professional life and give us similar, positive benefits. A quite challenging and difficult discussion with a colleague can make you grow as a leader or employee (and even as a human being). Or a stressful e-mail can be used to exercise and strengthen your patience.
And if you do feel that excessive stress is taking over, look for smart ‘recovery’. Stress is never the problem, lack of recovery can be. Take some time to relax and recharge yourself. And that can be something different for each of us: getting enough sleep, calling your life partner or children during a break, reflecting on what you can be grateful for, getting some fresh air, incorporating a meditation moment, ...
Still ‘happy’ in your job?
According to the most recent Gallup poll, only 29% of millennials truly feel engaged at work. Our mental spring cleaning can lead us to take a moment to reflect on the question ‘why do I or don't I feel engaged at work ... and do I want to change that?’ What makes ‘hard work’ also ‘heart work’? Take control of your own job satisfaction, so to speak, and engage in dialogue, with your boss and/or colleagues. Changing jobs is usually not necessary, expressing and clarifying expectations together usually is.
Why does Stanwick attach so much importance to employee well-being?
With our 50 years of experience in organisations, we know the workplace, and for us that includes the production area, the office environment as well as the board room.
We are at home there, it is our habitat. We have witnessed the evolution, shaped it ourselves: the continuous improvement, the ongoing work to keep organisations competitive, the satisfaction, the pressure and stress it brings, for worker, clerk, manager and business leader. At Stanwick, we are committed to better managing and strengthening our personal energy to cope with challenges optimally and also for longer without damaging our health. Open those windows and sniff the fresh spring breeze!
